New Jersey’s Frankie Edgar readies for UFC title match against BJ Penn

New Jersey-based No. 1 UFC lightweight contender Frankie "The Answer" Edgar is pictured with conditioning coach Brian Blue after an hour-plus workout at All Star Sports Academy in their hometown of Toms River. Edgar may be schlepping all the way to Abu Dhabi for an April 10th title fight against champ BJ Penn at UFC 112, but he grew up around the corner from All Star, located on Route 9 south.

After a two-hour MMA session, Frankie “The Answer” Edgar chatted with me about his April 10th fight against UFC lightweight champ BJ Penn at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi, as well as his charity appearance on Sunday, Feb. 28, at Katmandu in Trenton with Yankees great Roger Clemens to raise money for the Allies nonprofit for people with special needs.

Edgar then worked out for another hour-plus doing about nine five-minutes rounds of strength and conditioning intervals at All Star Sports Academy in his hometown of Toms River (editor’s note: the 12 video “rounds” presented here don’t coincide with the actual duration and intensity of the workout).

I taped both training sessions. The conditioning program can be seen here with the interview. Come back on April 10 to see the MMA session from Ricardo Almeida’s Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy in Hamilton with training partners Dante Rivera, a one-time contestant on “The Ultimate Fighter,” and Max Bohanan, a young fighting prospect from Bordentown with crazy BJ Penn-like flexibility.

But first an explanation of some unusual exercises Edgar does during his strength and conditioning workout, as told by his trainer Brian Blue, co-owner of All Star:

Ball shot put: Close to punches, pressing up on an angle slightly with the legs and the core to make more power so you can explode

VertiMax: apparatus that applies resistance through a belt for quick jumps and other movements

Bar Twists: twisting sprawl on a plated barbell that is a core exercise followed by an explosive movement, like a Clean & Jerk. It’s also good for shoulder stability and strength. It enables you to move your body and keep yourself stable. He’ll be in that position in fights a lot if he’s on top of someone.

Reverse Plate Push: a variation on the Prowler-like Plate Push designed by one All-Star Sports Academy’s female soccer players. It’s a very good core exercise if you keep your hips and shoulders square to the floor. And it’s a very good shoulder exercise.

“He’s had that spark in him, but ever since he got back from Abu Dhabi, it’s a much bigger spark,” said Blue about Edgar’s training. “He has the drive that no matter how many sessions he’s done that day, he gets it done. It seems like he’s got that extra little bit at the end of every session or every exercise or every rep. Something’s clicked, like, ‘This is my shot, and I’m going to take advantage of it.’

Enjoy the following interview and videos with Edgar:

How have you tailored your camp to defeat BJ Penn, particularly with his jiu jitsu and flexibility?

It’s pretty much the same thing as usual. I’m training hard. I have Professor Almeida and Henzo Gracie to pick their brains. It’s great. I have Max (Bohanan), who’s really flexible like BJ.

But BJ is one-of-a-kind for sure, so I’m just trying to be the best that I can be, tighten up my game and skills. I try to be better and better every fight, and I try to be just the best that I can be.

You are getting better every fight or you wouldn’t be fighting BJ Penn. Gray Maynard would be fighting him, but you hurdled over him to get a title shot. You recently got to go to a training session with George St. Pierre, who’s fought BJ Penn a couple of times. Was there any insight from him as to how to deal with this opponent?

He gave a few pointers. George is George, and I’m Frankie, so I really can take so much from his fight with BJ. I have to come up with my own game plan. But he definitely gave me some pointers. He was helpful.

George is a great guy. We’re going up to Montreal to train with his guys as well. Ricardo and I are going to take a trip up there probably in early March. Just to get with a high-caliber guy like that is great to get a little insight about the fights he had with BJ.

George St. Pierre has an excellent conditioning coach named Jonathan Chaimberg. Has he had any interaction with you at all?

Not yet. I definitely plan on going up there. My strength and conditioning coach is out of Toms River: Brian Blue out of All-Star Sports Academy. Hopefully, those two can exchange numbers. Jonathan’s been in this for a while. Maybe they could bounce some ideas of off each other. Hopefully we can make that contact.

With all this training going on for the most important fight of your life, you took time out to do charity. You participated in a jiu jitsu seminar with Ricardo, the proceeds from which raised money for Haiti. And another is coming up on Sunday, Feb. 28 at Katmandu in Trenton with future Baseball Hall of Famer Roger Clemons to help an organization called Allies that helps people with special needs. Comment on taking time out to participate in those fund-raising efforts.

Ricardo approached a few weeks ago and said there was a benefit for Haiti. He asked me if I would like to participate, and I jumped to it. Any chance I can get to help someone less fortunate than me is always a good look. They don’t have many resources. They’re already a third-world country. To have to deal with an earthquake and that kind of devastation is tough on them. The little bit that I can help is just a small thing that I can do.

It benefits them, but it also benefits me. I go home feeling good. I sleep good at night. We raised close to $8,000. I’m really happy about that.

How did you hook up with Allies and Roger Clemons?

Mike Cestero is an old friend of Steve Rivera, my wrestling coach, and a good friend. He hooked me up originally. I believe I had only one or two fights in the UFC. The headliner was Jens Pulver, and he asked me if I would like to participate. I said, ‘Absolutely.’

This is my third time actually. Royce (Gracie) was supposed to headline it. Unfortunately, Helio (Gracie) passed away that same week, so he had to fly Brazil, so Mike called me the day before and asked me if I would like to take his place. I said, ‘Sure, no problem,’ and shot over there. And now this year, I get to do it with roger Clemons, which is a treat for me. Growing up in New Jersey, I’m a Yankees fan. I will definitely be a little star struck.

Allies is a great thing. The kids are great over there. They have some disabilities. They just want a chance to get in the workforce and make a living for themselves. I think it’s just a great organization for kids with disabilities who want to get out on their own and make some of their own money.

Ricardo has 500 students coming to see him, including you. But you could go anywhere to study jiu jitsu. Why come all the way from Toms River to Hamilton to study with Ricardo?

I truly believe that this is best jiu jitsu in New Jersey. When people hit me up on Twitter or Facebook and email me, ‘I’m looking for a place to train,’ I tell them to come here. Ricardo’s life is jiu jitsu, and you can see that. He has a passion for it. And it definitely shows through his students. Even goes who don’t compete, they love it here. It’s just a great family atmosphere. I feel at home here.

About Bob Makin

Bob Makin is a multimedia watchdog reporter for the Home News Tribune, Courier News and MyCentralJersey.com. He has been with Gannett 20 years and a journalist for 34. He also is a former fitness coach specializing in sports-specific training and methods to fight diabetes and heal from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, two illnesses Makin has been able to control through exercise and nutrition. A former competitive boxer and wrestler, Makin relies heavily on mixed martial arts as a form of exercise.

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